Five men aged in their mid-30s have been arrested as part of a major garda operation into a number of aggravated burglaries at jewellery shops around the country.

The arrests were made after a series of searches in north and west Dublin, and the north inner-city, targeting Romanian organised crime gangs.

Several staff members were assaulted in the course of the robberies.

The investigation was carried out by the newly-formed Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and supported by the Emergency Response Unit.

Computer equipment and phones were also seized during the searches.